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Archiver > CATAWBA-WEST > 1998-09 > 0907104721


From: "Linda Haas Davenport" <>
Subject: Re: Clues from Deed Witnesses
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 17:32:01 -0400


This has appeared on several mailing lists and the general consensus is
that it's not so. The wife's dower was protected whether or not any of her
family signed as a witness to a legal document. I personally have looked
at hundreds of deeds and have only found a very few that had any wife's
relatives listed. When someone needed a witness they simply snagged the
closest person. If in town it could be anyone handy, at home it was
usually a neighbor or maybe a church member or a lodge brother. If you
look at the census records and compare the names of neighbors found on the
census (which yes were often family) you will see their names appear on
deeds. Don't trust this information or you could spend a lot of time
looking for a connection that doesn't exist.

Linda


Home Page: http://www.avana.net/~lhaasdav/Haas.html
County Coordinator: Marion Co AR http://www.rootsweb.com/~armarion

----------
> From:
> To:
> Subject: Clues from Deed Witnesses
> Date: Monday, September 28, 1998 11:34 PM
>
> I received the following from another mailing list. It sounds
interesting.
> Has anyone any experience on the following?
>
>
> "In the most recent issue of the Carolina Herald and Newsletter, the
> publication of the SC Genealogical Society, was this note:
>
> Clues from the Names of Deed Witnesses
> The following is from a Minnesota Genealogical Newsletter. "In the lower
left
> corner of most old deeds you will find (the signatures of ) two to four
> witnesses. The first one is always from the husband's side, the next two
from
> the wife's side. That is to protect her one-half dower rights under the
law -
> Nothing you will ever use will give greater clues to maiden names."...."
>
> Hope it helps someone!
>
> Linda
>
>
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